Hubodometer with resettable signal

ABSTRACT

A closed casing adapted to be affixed to a rotatable element has a window and a registering mechanism inside the casing mounted to permit the casing to rotate around it having indicator wheels visible through said window, and drive means for said indicator wheels. A signal inside the casing is normally disposed in a first position and includes an element juxtaposed to said window and normally engaged with said drive means to move said signal in timed relation to the movement of said indicator wheels into a second signaling position. Said element is disengageable from said drive means by a force, for example, magnetism, applied externally of and through said window and is automatically reset to said normal first position.

United States Paten m w mm H.m M Ma mm m mm WW "e n "a msmww m a u bm Mbone n MMBEB m RSR naw a flwmwfl m m l H m a XH E MBBMM Et 32 ow 39 39 Mm 98033 .UO fifififiJflmn 22223 FAA w N M M W m w m W 0 C r. m m we m Memu 99. .y HRH Jm mon mmnw axiom CMR4I-AEI0 m o d m N m 0 L n. e Pw v Pa 8 .m AFPA M HHU 7 UMLH [54] HUBODOMETER WITH RESE'I'IABLE ESIGNALcasing adapted to be affixed to a rotatable element has a window and aregistering mechanism inside the casing mounted to permit the casing torotate .m m m m m m W s W m mn m m U .m w .d H N Br I H around it havingindicator wheels visible through said window, and drive means for saidindicator wheels. A signal inside the casing is normally disposed in afirst position and includes an 95 l A; l 16/! I4 A5. 1 14 W elementjuxtaposed to said window and normally engaged with said drive means tomove said signal in timed relation to the movement of said indicatorwheels into a se eond signaling position. Said element is disengageablefrom said drive means 40/41 by a force, for example, magnetism, appliedexternally of and 1 l6]! M W through said window and is automaticallyreset to said normal 1 Hill 14 W first position.

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS l,948,427 2/1934Moecker.........,............ 2,l30,6l3 9/l938 Colee........ 2,253,8278/1941 Vinton PATENTEU me I own saw 1 or 3 Charles H EL Robe/'7 1 BY.HTTORNIEY HUBODOMETER WITli-I RESETTABBILE SllGNAL BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION l. Field of the Invention This invention relates to mechanismsfor registering revolutions of a rotating member, for example,odometers, and more particularly the invention is directed to odometersof the so called driveless" type designed to be mounted on the hubcapofa vehicle wheel. 7

The invention is also concerned with an odometer having a signalingdevice adapted to be operated upon completion of a predetermined numberof revolutions of the rotating member for directing the attention of theoperator to some requirement, for example, the change of the oil in anautomobile motor.

2. Description of the Prior Art So-called hubodometers are known, forexample in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,638,274 and No. 1,010,654, and odometershaving signaling devices also have been proposed as shown by U.S. Pats.No. 1,891,335 and No. 1,872,838. However, so far as i know, there hasnever been an odometer of the so-called driveless" type that has asignal associated therewith.

SUMMARY A primary object of the invention is to provide an odometer ofthe driveless type, with a signaling device, and ore particularly theinvention contemplates such an odometer wherein the signaling device isresettabic.

In odometers of this type the registering mechanism is pen dulouslymounted in the casing and the casing is rotatable relatively to andaround the registering mechanism, and therefore it has been thought tobe unfeasible to provide a resetting shaft or knob for the signaloperable from the outside the causing because such a shaft or knob wouldhave to be mounted in the casing and would therefore rotate relativelyto and around the registering mechanism and any signal inside thecasing. it is therefore another object of the invention to apply to thesignal a force, for example, magnetism, externally of and through a wallof the casing to initiate resetting of the signal.

Instead of applying a magnetic force to the signal, a push button insidethe casing may be actuated by pressure applied from outside the casingagainst a resilient diaphragm sealed in the wall of the casing on theaxis of rotation.

A further object of the invention is to provide a signal in= eluding anelement, such as a gear rack, mounted on the to gistering mechanismframe and movable into and out of em gagement with the gear of one ofthe indicating wheels.

BRIEF DESCRiP'lION )F THE DR/iWiiiGS For a more complete understandingof the invention, reference may be had to the following description inconjunm tion with the accompanying drawin s in which:

FIG. i is a front view of a hubodometer embodying the in: vention, partsbeing broken away, showing the signal in nor= mal invisible position;

FIG. 2 is a front view of tho hubodometer showing the signal inoperative signaling position;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view np=proximately on the plans of the line 3=3 of t lt i;

FIG. 4 is a similar view with parts omitted and showing in solid linesthe signal in the operative signaling position illus trated in FIG. 2;

FlG. 4a is a similar view showing the manipulation of the signal b amagnet to disengage the motion transmitting member from the drive meanspreliminary to the normal in= operative position shown in FIGS. 1 and3',

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. i showing a modified means formanipulation the signal to disengage the motion trans- I mitting memberfrom the drive means; and; 1; .s

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view similar to FIG. 4a takenapproximately on the plane of the line 6-6 of FIG. 7 and illustrating amodification of the means for disengaging the motion transmitting memberfrom the drive means and showing said means in operation to causedisengagement of the motion transmitting member;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary elevational view approximately on the plane ofthe line 77 of FIG. 6 showing the signal in operativ'e signalingposition.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS For the purpose ofillustrating the principles of the inverttion, we have shown it inconnection with a well-known type of hubodometer of the driveless type,one example of which is the hubodometer shown in Pat. No. 2,638,274.

The registering mechanism A is enclosed in a casing B which is adaptedto be mounted on a rotating member such as a hubcap ofa vehicle asillustrated, for example in said patent. The casing includes acup-shaped body i and domeshaped cover 2 secured to the front endthereof so that the casing is closed to minimize the possibility ofdirt, grease and moisture getting into the interior of the casing. Thecover which constitutes the front wall of the casing has a transparentportion 3 which serves as a window through which the registeringmechanism is visible.

The rear wall 5 of the casing has a central opening through which thedrive shaft of the registering mechanism A extends. The shaft is formedwith a rear externally projecting and screw-threadcd end portion a,another externally screwthreaded portion '7 of smaller diameter, and nnonthreaded portion ii of smaller diameter. The intermediate portion '7of the shaft is threaded in and extends through the wall 5 so that theportion ii is disposed in the casing, couxiuliy therewith and thereaiwnrdly projecting portion (it extends through an opening ,i in thefront wall ii of the huhcup or other rotating member, and a not illdemountnbly fastens the casing to the hubcap.

A sleeve member ii is rotatably mounted on the nonthroaded portion 8 ofthe drive shaft and has at its inner end an enlarged portion .12 forminga shoulder and having a countersunk portion 13 of its inner face withwhich shoulder at the end of the inner portion 7 of the drive shah formsa raceway for ball bearings i i to permit the casing to move around theregistering mechanism A with slight friction. The sleeve member ii isrigidly mounted in the rear hearing support E5 of the registeringmechanism frame which also in eludes end plates in and i7 rigidlysecured to the ends of the bearing support. The end plates providebearing for shaft iii. A numeral or indicator wheel set made up oi aseries of com nested number wheels 20 is loosely mounted upon the shaftiii and includes in its organization a one=way counter drive ratchet Lilabutting against the outer face of the end plate to.

A secondary drive shaft 22 is provided with a worm gear 353 ofrelatively large diameter so as to attain the necessary gear reductionand is centered on the shaft 3?; so as to bring the same in line withthe diameter passing through the axis of the casing. it worm 12 i isfastened to the main drive shah portion ti adjacent its inner and andmeshes with the worm gear it will he understood that the tooth relationbetween this worm and worm gear establishes the reduction ratio betweenthe drive shaft ii and the sssondnry drive shah, 22.

in elongated feeding pawl as is loosely mounted at one end on theprotruding and of shaft 23. and fastened on the outer end of said shaftis n shunning dish 22'? rotatably mounted in an opening in the mountedand of the pawl whereby the pawl is oscillated at intervals as oiliifl22 rotates. The other end of the pawl extends to a point adjacent theratchet wheel 21 at the outer and of the shaft iii, and is bent to oneside of the line of thrust of the pawl to provide a finger to engagesuccessive tsathoi" the ratchet wheel iii in n clockwise direction asviewed iniiifi. 3 with a steamy-step motion. I

The ratchet wheel actuates the indicator wheels 20 on the shaft 18 insuccession. These indicator wheels form parts of a known type ofodometer, the lower order wheel being actuated directly by the ratchetwheel, and suitable transfer mechanism being provided between the lowerand higher order wheels, such as the well-known Geneva gearing, wherebythe higher order numeral wheels register a predetermined number ofrotations of the lower order numeral wheels. Instead of numerals on theindicator wheels other indicia could be utilized, depending upon thevalue or condition to be registered.

A locking pawl 28 is pivotally mounted on the end plate 16 andpositioned above the axis of rotation of the ratchet wheel 21. The pawl28 has a finger for engaging the teeth of the ratchet wheel to preventreverse movement thereof during the dwell of the feeding pawl 26. Ashort tension spring 29 is secured to one end of the locking pawl andhas its other end connected to a stud 30 on the end plate.

Another tension spring 31 has one end secured to the stud 30 and itsother end connected to the feeding pawl 26. These springs 29 and 31 holdthe ratchet engaging ends of the lock and feeding pawls, respectively,in resilient engagement with the teeth of the ratchet wheel.

A face plate 32 is secured to the outer edges of the end plates I6 and17 and conceals the register mechanism from the front. The plate howeveris provided with the usual form of sight opening 33 positioned oppositethe indicator wheel set so that the numerals on the wheels can bevisible from the outside of the casing. Plate 32 is positioned betweenthe window 3 of the casing and the regis ering mechanism and usuallybears indicia so as to serve as a name plate.

To hold the registering mechanism against rotation about the shaft 8,there is a counterweight 35 mounted on two rods 36 which are verticallyslidable in the bearing support and connected at their upper ends by atie bar 37. The counterweight is normally resiliently supported bysprings 38 encircling the rods whose lower ends abut the bearing supportI5 and between whose upper ends and the tie bar are rubber bumper blocks39 to cushion the downward movements of the counterweight incident totravel by the vehicle carrying the hubodometer over the roadway bumps.Other rubber bumpers 40 on the rods between the bearing support and thecounterweight cushion the upward movements of the latter.

In accordance with the invention there is provided a signal= ing devicenormally in a first nonsignaling position and includ= ing amotion-transmitting member normally in driving engage ment with theodometer drive means for moving the signal in timed relation to themovement indicator wheels into a second signaling position. In thepresent embodiment, the indicator wheels bear numerals indicating milesand each indicator wheel has a spur gear 41, and with the spur gearsmesh pinions 42 mounted on a shaft 43 in the frame and constituting apart of the transfer mechanism of the drive means. The motion=transmitting member meshes with the gear 41 on the indicator wheelrepresenting ten thousands of miles on the odometer and said membermoves longitudinally upward from its non= signaling position with everytenth of a rotation of the gear and travels a total of two=tenths of acomplete rotation; at this point the odometer indicates the passage of20,000 miles from its initial reading, and the motion=transmittingmember moves the signal into a position to partially cover the portionof the mileage reading that is exposed through the sight opening 33.

More specifically, the motion=transmitting member con= stitutes a gearrack 44 that has a "flag" or signal at its lower end which is formed bya portion of the rack bar and two win= glike extensions 45, one at eachside of the rsclt bar. The upper end of the rack bar has horizontallyspaced flanges 45' that extend longitudinally of the bar and have slotsas through which extends a pivot rod 4'7 the ends of which are securedin the end plates 16 and I7 of the frame. The rack bar is sup ported bya guide support 48 which also has spaccd=apart flanges 49 one at eachside of the rack bar and both pivotally mounted on the rod (FIGS. 3 and5). The guide support is nor= mally' tilted on the pivot rod 47 so thatthe teeth of the gear rack are held in mesh with the teeth of the spurgear 4i as shown in FIG. 3, and with the flag or signal in its firstnonsignaling position, invisible behind the name plate 32and below thesight opening 33, as best shown in FIGS. 1 and 3.

. The guide support and rack bar are biased into this position by ahelical torsion/spring 50 mounted on the pivot rod 47 with one end 51abutting the guide support and the other end 52 connected to the endplate 16 of the frame.

During the operation of the hubodometer, upon rotation of the spur gear41 with which the gear rack meshes, the signal is moved to predeterminedposition; for example, when the odometer indicates the passage of 20,000miles from its initial reading, the rack bar is moved from itsnonsignaling position of FIGS. 1 and 3 to its signaling position shownin FIGS. 2 and 4 where the signal overlies or obscures the numerals onthe three indicator wheels bearing the higher numerals. It should bepointed out that the guide support has an elongated opening 53 above thesignal and through which the indicator wheel that is engaged by the gearrack and the flange are visible as shown in FIGS. 1,2 and 4. FIG. 1shows the numeral of the indicator wheel exposed trough said openingwhile FIGS. 2,3 and 4 show a portion of the signal or flag through theopening.

In accordance with the invention, novel and improved means are providedto reset or restore the signal to its normal nonsignaling position. Inthe form of the invention shown in FIGS. I through 4, a portion of thesignal or motion'transmitting member is formed of magnetic materialwhich will respond to a magnetic force applied externally of and throughthe casing wall. For example, the signal itself may be formed of iron,or a portion of the guide support could be formed of a magnetic materialso that when a permanent magnet denoted by reference character I) ismoved into juxtaposition to the window 3 and opposite the magneticportion of the signal or guide support, as shown in FIG. 4a, the guidesupport and signal will be pulled toward the magnet so as to disengagethe teeth of the gear rack from the teeth of the spur gear 41. Then themotion=transmitting member and signal are pulled downwardly by a tensionspring 541m shown in FIG. 3, and the spring 50 will tilt or swing theguide support and the gear rack into a normal position with the teeth ofthe gear rack meshing with the teeth of the spur gear as shown in FIG.3. The signal is then ready for a repetition of its signaling operationupon rota tion of the spur gear 4] which the rack is in engagement. Itwill be seen that one end of the spring 54 is connected by a pin 55 tothe guide support while the other end of the motion=trans mittingmember.

Another way of resetting the signal is shown in FIGS. it and 7 where aflexible diaphragm ss extends through and is sealed in the window andabuttingly engages a pushbutton 57 car ricd by a spring prcsscr strip 55that has one and rigidly conncctcd to the end plate l7 of the frame andis provided at its other end with a vertical arm from which extendshorizontally a finger at which abuts the upper end of the support guideabove the pivot rod 47. The diaphragm and pushbutton are coaxial withthe casing and the support shaft 13, and the name plate preferably hasan opening so to provide clearance for the pushbutton and a portion ofthe spring strip 53. Nor mally the spring strip 58 causes the finger 6!only to lightly engage the support guide so that the gear rack is heldby spring 50 (FIG. 5) in engagement with the spur gear, and thediaphragm 5s normally expands as indicated by dot and dash line as (FIG.s to permit the spring strip and the presser fingerst to assume thatnormal position. W hen it is desired to disengage the rack bar from thegear, the diaphragm is manually pushed as indicated by the heavy arrow Xin FIG. 6 so that through the pushbutton and strip 58 the finger atexerts pressure on the guide support as shown by the smaller arrow Y inFIG. t: whereby the lower end of the guide support and gearrack aretilted away from the spur gear 41. After the diaphragm and gear raehhave been manually actuated into the position shown in FIG. 6, thespring 54 returns the gear rack to its normal position and the springstrip 58 springs outwardly toward the window so that the pushbuttonexpands the diaphragm into its normal position indicated by the dot anddash line 63. The diaphragm keeps the casing sealed and yet permits themotion-transmitting element (gear rack) to be disengaged from the drivemeans by force applied externally of and through the window, and alsopermits the casing carried by the vehicle wheel hub to rotate around theregistering mechanism which remains relatively stationary on the shaft18.

The two embodiments of the invention have been shown and described toexplain the principles of invention, but those skilled in the art willunderstand that modifications and changes can be made in theconstruction of the device within the spirit of the invention and thescope of the appended claims.

i claim:

1. An odometer of the driveless type comprising:

a closed casing adapted to be affixed to a rotatable element and havinga wall with a window;

a registering mechanism inside the casing including a frame mounted topermit the casing to rotate around it and having indicator wheelsvisible through said window;

drive means for said indicator wheels;

a signal means inside said casing and normally in a first posi' tron;

said signal means including a motion-transmitting member juxtaposed tosaid window and normally in driving ongagement with said drive means tomove said signal means in timed relation to the movement of saidindicator wheels into a second position;

said member selectively being movably discngageahle from said drivemeans for return of said signal means to said first position;

means to move the member out of engagement with said drive means; and

means for actuating said motion-transmitting member to return saidsignal means to said normal first position.

2. An odometer as defined in claim 1 wherein said motiontransmittingmember has a magnetic portion, and there is a magnet manuallymanipulatable outside said casing wall to magnetically attract saidmagnetic portion of said member and move said member out of engagementwith said drive means.

3. An odometer as defined in claim I wherein said drive means includes agear on one of said indicator wheels and said motion-transmitting memberis a gear rack mounted to ion: gitudinally slide on said frame and topivot in opposite directions into and out of mesh with said gear.

4. An odometer as defined in claim 3 wherein said rack has a magneticportion located to magnetically respond to magnet held in juxtapositionthereto outside said casing wall for movtill ing said rack out ofengagement with said gear.

5. An odometer as defined in claim 1 wherein the means for moving themotion-transmitting member out of engagement with said drive meansincludes a resilient diaphragm sealed in said casing wall on the axis ofrotation of said casing to receive manual pressure applied externallyofthe casing, and means in the casing movably responsive to suchpressure to actuate said motion transmitting member out of engagementwith said drive means.

6. An odometer ofthe driveless" type comprising:

a closed casing adapted to be affixed to a rotatable element and havinga wall with a window;

a registering mechanism inside the casing including a frame mounted topermit the casing to rotate around it and having indicator wheelsvisible through said window;

drive means for said indicator wheels;

a signal means inside said casing and normally in a first posi tion;

said signal means including a motion-transmitting member juxtaposed tosaid window and normally in driving engagement with said drive means tomove said signal means in timed relation to the movement of saidindicator wheels into a second position;

said member selectively being movably discngageable from said drivemeans for return of said signal means to said first position and meansfor actuating said motion-transmitting member to return the signal meansto said manual first position.

'7. An odometer as defined in claim 6 wherein said member has a magneticportion located to respond to a magnet held in juxtaposition theretooutside said casing wall for moving said member out of engagement withsaid drive means.

8. An odometer as defined in claim 6 wherein said motiorn transmittingmember is pivotally mounted on said frame to swing into and out oiengagement with said drive means.

9. An odometer as defined in claim 8 wherein there is means to move saidmember out of engagement with said drive means comprising a flexiblediaphragm sealed in said casing wall on the axis of rotation of thecasing. and means in the ass ing movably responsive to pressure appliedto said diaphragm externally of the casing to apply said pressure tosaid motiontransmitting member to move the latter out of engagement withsaid drive means it). An odometer as defined in claim 9 wherein thelsstnamed means includes an elongated spring having one end rigidlyconnected to said frame and its other and contacting saidmotion=transmltting member between one end thereof and the pivotalmounting thereof said spring having an intermediate portion ongageableby said diaphragm when pressure is applied to the diaphragm,

1. An odometer of the ''''driveless'''' type comprising: a closed casingadapted to be affixed to a rotatable element and having a wall with awindow; a registering mechanism inside the casing including a framemounted to permit the casing to rotate around it and having indicatorwheels visible through said window; drive means for said indicatorwheels; a signal means inside said casing and normally in a firstposition; said signal means including a motion-transmitting memberjuxtaposed to said window and normally in driving engagement with saiddrive means to move said signal means in timed relation to the movementof said indicator wheels into a second position; said member selectivelybeing movably disengageable from said drive means for return of saidsignal means to said first position; means to move the member out ofengagement with said drive means; and means for actuating saidmotion-transmitting member to return said signal means to said normalfirst position.
 2. An odometer as defined in claim 1 wherein saidmotion-transmitting member has a magnetic portion, and there is a magnetmanually manipulatable outside said casing wall to magnetically attractsaid magnetic portion of said member and move said member out ofengagement with said drive means.
 3. An odometer as defined in claim 1wherein said drive means includes a gear on one of said indicator wheelsand said motion-transmitting member is a gear rack mounted tolongitudinally slide on said frame and to pivot in opposite directionsinto and out of mesh with said gear.
 4. An odometer as defined in claim3 wherein said rack has a magnetic portion located to magneticallyrespond to a magnet held in juxtaposition thereto outside said casingwall for moving said rack out of engagement with said gear.
 5. Anodometer as defined in claim 1 wherein the means for moving themotion-transmitting member out of engagement with said drive meansincludes a resilient diaphragm sealed in said casing wall on the axis ofrotation of said casing to receive manual pressure applied externally ofthe casing, and means in the casing movably responsive to such pressureto actuate said motion transmitting member out of engagement with saiddrive means.
 6. An odometer of the ''''driveless'''' type comprising: aclosed casing adapted to be affixed to a rotatable element and having awall with a window; a registering mechanism inside the casing includinga frame mounted to permit the casing to rotate around it and havingindicator wheels visible through said window; drive means for saidindicator wheels; a signal means inside said casing and normally in afirst position; said signal means including a motion-transmitting memberjuxtaposed to said window and normally in driving engagement with saiddrive means to move said signal means in timed relation to the movementof said indicator wheels into a second position; said member selectivelybeing movably disengageable from said drive means for return of saidsignal means to said first position and means for actuating saidmotion-transmitting member to return the signal means to said manualfirst position.
 7. An odometer as defined in claim 6 wherein said memberhas a magnetic portion located to respond to a magnet held injuxtaposition thereto outside said casing wall for moving said memberout of engagement with said drive means.
 8. An odometer as defined inclaim 6 wherein said motion-transmitting member is pivotally mounted onsaid frame to swing into and out of engagement with said drive means. 9.An odometer as defined in claim 8 wherein there is means to move saidmember out of engagement with said drive means comprising a flexiblediaphragm sealed in said casing wall on the axis of rotation of thecasing, and means in the casing movably responsive to pressure appliedto said diaphragm externally of the casing to apply said pressure tosaid motion-transmitting member to move the latter out of engagementwith said drive means.
 10. An odometer as defined in claim 9 wherein thelast-named means includes an elongated spring having one end rigidlyconnected to said frame and its other end contacting saidmotion-transmitting member between one end thereof and the pivotalmounting thereof said spring having an intermediate portion engageableby said diaphragm when pressure is applied to the diaphragm.